For the last few years, the American people and the rest of the world have become entangled in a love-hate relationship with misinformation. Misinformation has been a problem for a while, and yet everyday consumers of media find it hard to differentiate between fact and fiction. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have implemented filtering mechanisms to spot posts that present false information (e.g., Facebook's new fact-checking protocols). Despite the implementation of these protocols, misinformation continues to spread.

What does misinformation have to do with COVID-19? Quite frankly, a lot, and as a mass media studies major, it's quite bothersome to me. As traditional news broadcasting television networks adjust to projecting their content from an at-home environment, people are now going to their mobile devices and computers for the latest updates about the virus. Some people are continuing to receive their news from sources such as CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, as political ideology can become a deciding factor in choosing a news source. Others use social media platforms as their go-to “newspaper.” As a result of the latter, I've heard and watched some intriguing stories take place.

A relative of mine received information about the virus from her pastor via WhatsApp, a messaging app owned by Facebook where false information is known to spread without proper filtration. I asked them if I could fact-check the source and made sure it reported the truth, but the discussion didn't go far. On Wednesday, Feb. 12, Missouri-based televangelist Jim Bakker had a controversial broadcast of his show, “The Jim Bakker Show,” where he and a panel of “credible experts” heightened the hysteria surrounding the virus by naming a silver solution as a plausible cure. Bakker ended up being sued. Others claim that the virus is a “government conspiracy” or that it originated via cellphone towers, also known as the “5G Conspiracy.” These are just a few of the many ways false information has become a focal point of media consumption during this health crisis.

What does WhatsApp have in common with televangelist Jim Bakker, outlandish government conspiracies, the “5G Conspiracy” and other falsehoods like it? It’s simple: a lack of sufficient media literacy. According to the Center for Media Literacy (CML), “Media literacy is a 21st century approach to education. It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate, create and participate with messages in a variety of forms – from print to video to the Internet. Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills on inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy.” Mentioned in CML's definition are five keywords: access, analyze, evaluate, create and participate.

As frequent consumers of media, we access media-related material in various ways (e.g., magazines, social media platforms, televised news programs, podcasts, etc.). We analyze the media we expose ourselves to based on our previous experiences or personal biases. We either evaluate the media for what we see on the surface level, or take a deeper look. We create media based on our moods, emotions, beliefs and opinions. Then, we participate in the media (watch a news program, post a photo online, listen to a podcast, etc.) because it has grabbed our full attention, and we feel obligated to share it. 

According to the University of Maryland’s article “Is My Source Credible?,” you should ask yourself questions such as “Is the source reputable?” “Who are the authors?” and “Is the source in-depth?” 

Before you post about a news article, check to see if reputable news organizations have something similar. If organizations such as MSNBC, CNN or BBC don’t have it, then don’t post it. If an image on Instagram presents a news headline tagged with a photo, use Google Images to see if the same photo has been used for another purpose. 

Armed with the Internet and many social media platforms, we’re able to share our beliefs about a piece of media at a moment’s notice, but are we too eager to cross the line between fiction and fact? Because even though we may, in reference to CML’s keywords, “analyze” and “evaluate” what’s on the surface, we can nonetheless become oblivious to what’s beneath.

An unverified source or claim can result in unnecessary assumptions, and in a time of such uncertainty, the truth is crucial: Knowing the right information could save lives.

Elissa Fielding is a sophomore mass media studies major with a concentration in media, policy and law and a minor in Mandarin Chinese. She hopes to spread awareness about the importance of strong media literacy and you can follow her on Instagram @emfielding_official.